


Conversations with a Ghost

by PhoenixRayne44



Category: Zombies Run!
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Female Runner Five, Fluff, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-01
Updated: 2015-02-01
Packaged: 2018-03-09 23:38:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3268562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixRayne44/pseuds/PhoenixRayne44
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam knows he has feelings for the new Runner Five. There's just one thing holding him back.</p><p>This was written at 1 am so I hope it's comprehensible.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Conversations with a Ghost

“Lower the gates!”  
The familiar sound of the alarm and the rattling of the township’s gates greeted the Runners as they passed through, cheeks flushed, hearts pounding, breathing hard.  
Sam strolled out of the comms shack to retrieve the Runners’ headsets; Four and Six headed straight on to the training centre for the post-run stretching routine. Five, however, remained side by side with Sam. She leaned on the comms operator for support as they followed Jody and Maggie. The action was a bit unexpected, but not unwelcome.  
“Good run?” he asked awkwardly.  
Five nodded, still breathless. Sam said nothing more. After a while Five broke away from his side to catch up with her fellow Runners. He watched her leave.  
“You’re being a little obvious, don’t you think?” Maxine’s voice startled Sam.  
“What are you talking about?”  
“Come on, don’t be so obtuse. Everyone knows you like her.”  
“Th-that’s ridiculous,” he stammered. “Wait, everyone?”  
Maxine rolled her eyes. “You wait for her after every run. You stare at her, constantly. And don’t tell me you escort Simon to the training area after all of his runs.”  
Sam hesitated. “That doesn’t mean anything.”  
The doctor half-smiled. “You tell yourself whatever you want, Sam.” She departed to return to her post at the hospital.  
Sam observed the Runners. He knew he had feelings for Five, that much is true. But he wasn’t about to let Maxine have the satisfaction. Besides, everything about the situation screamed that it was a bad idea. The last time he had gotten involved with one of his Runners…  
“No,” he said decisively.  
“No, what?”  
Sam recoiled in surprise. He hadn’t realized Five was standing there. “Nothing. Just talking to myself.”  
Five looked away. “Okay, then. As long as everything’s all right.” She jogged off toward her housing block.  
“Yeah,” Sam mumbled. “Everything’s peachy.”  
No, he couldn’t do that to Alice. Her memory deserved better than for Sam to throw himself at the next Runner that caught his attention.

Speaking of the devil, Alice showed up in his dreams again that night.  
As always, they sat on the rooftop of one of the buildings that served as living quarters. Nothing had been the same since Abel Township had lost the former Runner Five, but nevertheless, Sam appreciated that he had at least a few precious moments with her every night. Even if it was all in his head.  
Dream-Alice swung her legs over the side of the building. “The sunset is beautiful this evening,” she commented.  
“It always is,” Sam responded.  
“Probably because it’s always the same sunset.”  
Sam cracked a smile. Dream or not, Alice was still Alice.  
The pair sat in silence. After a moment, Alice spoke up again. “You’re allowed to move on, you know.”  
“Hey,” Sam weakly protested. “You’re ruining the mood.”  
“You know it’s true, Sam. People don’t stick around forever, especially in this world.” She paused awkwardly, swinging her legs. “Let me go, Sam.”  
“I can’t do that.”  
“You can.” She placed her hand on top of his. “Move on. Let yourself move on. Let yourself be happy, even if it’s without me.”  
“This is against the rules.”  
“What rules?” She raised her voice. “The rules you made up when you started imagining conversations with a dead girl? That you won’t let yourself think about possibly living without Alice Dempsey? That you’re just going to keep living through a dream?” The apparition turned cold. “It’s time to wake up, Sam.”  
Sam opened his eyes to a dark and cold room.

“Lower the gates.”  
Sam opened the door of the comms shack to greet Five as she returned from the day’s run. He glimpsed a flash of Alice Dempsey out of the corner of his eye as he turned his gaze on the girl who had somehow replaced her. _Let yourself move on, Sam._  
The Runner jogged up to meet him, still breathing hard from her run. She noticed his distressed expression. “Something wrong?”  
“Nothing.” His vision of Alice frowned.  
 _Let me go, Sam._  
“We should move on, then,” she responded cheerily, taking his hand.  
 _Move on, Sam._  
“Five?” He said, his voice cracking slightly.  
She turned around. “Yes?”  
“I…” he hesitated. “I like you, okay?”  
“What?”  
He cleared his throat. “I’m in love with you, Runner Five.” The last time he had said those words flashed through his mind and the vision of Alice folded her arms, a satisfied smile on her face.  
Five didn’t respond. Sam’s heart plunged into his stomach. Then, to his surprise, she threw her arms around his neck. He heard her voice in his ear. _“Took you long enough, Sam.”_  
Alice disappears for the last time.


End file.
